Morris tribune., 1887-12-07
THE DRUMMER'S REVENGE

mean That GauQlSSarttS descendants are
unkind divinities. On the contrary, they
are, as rule, good natured devils, fond
OF the pleasures of the table, which is a
very legitimate liking, besides heartily
relishing good laugh and making the
most of life These gay companions are
not satisfied with enjoying anything alone.
A fig for egotism, thatvie of i'll natured
people! Their gayety is of communion
tive sort, and their supreme delight is to
relate to each other the tricks and FRANKS
practiced on some fellow drummer. Their
Jokes are generally of free and easy
species, and, as q rule, no drummer cares
about keeping the last lick. hide irde.
From this popularity arises an unquench-
able thirst for revenge.
Their anger is generally short lived, and
is soon dissipated by the contents of a
bottle of champagne. They are very I'M
relenting however, and they make it q
matter of conscience to get even. with the
fellow Joker that has hoaxed them. Just
think Let us imagine one of them to
have been at PerigneuX, the victim of q
practical joke ! How could he dare to re-
turn to that town, the scene of Romen's
greatest exploits unless he could say at
the table d'hote: "You know, l caught up
with him at Bordeaux, and, / tell you, l
paid him back in his own coin with heavy
interest" Instances are cited in which
retribution has been delayed for two or
three years, and the sweets of revenge en-
joyed only after the victim had travelled
to every nook and corner of France; but,
like certain wines that are improved by q
voyage to India and back, the enjoyment
was all the greater on account of the de-
lay. 1t is no rare thing to hear the Chew
alier de 10 Guelte, escorting the Baron DIES
Rossignols to the depot at Beziers, say:
GAS for you, old fellow, l shall pay you
back at Dunkirk in six months time. "
The Baron DIES Rossignols may rely on the
chevalier's meeting his obligations at ma
turity.
AS for me, said friend Doublure, I
did not have to wait so very long for re-
venge, the last time, when | got even
with that confounded scamp, Bechard
Bechard is not bad fellow, but he is the
most inveterate joker that ever lived
His system is rather on the old style. He
has no creative genius, and tries to keep
ahead by practicing lot of classical jokes
which he always keeps in stock. His
imagination is so sterile that he is COM
PEELED to rely on quantity to replace what
is wanting in quality. But, in this world,
everybody does the best he can. Yet, in
doing what he can, Bechard becomes a
bore with his jokes. When he has picked
any one out as the butt of his wit the
victim has either to display his temper,
which always shows bad form, or to leave
the place to Bechard and go elsewhere.
On my last trip to Quinper / had need
of all my patience on his account. Hav-
ing stopped at the Hotel de rEpee, I met
him at the breakfast table. Delighted in
finding good subject TO practice on, my
friend Bechard went to work without loss
of time In the evening, at dinner, fritters
were brought in. Bechard, who had left
the dining room for minute, returned just
in time to take the dish from the waiter
and place two fritters upon my plate. Al
the first bite my teeth met with q soft re-
sistance that set them on edge. took
the fritter between my fingers, and open
ing it, found small card, round as b
coin, bearing this inscription: seThe best
cloth may be had from the house of -"
giving the name of the firm represented
by my friend Bechard. l put on pleas
ant face over the matter, and, after din
M we started gut together to the coffee
SOn the sidewalk, at the very door Of the
hotel, Bechard offered me Londres,
which l accepted; he was even kind
enough to hand me burning match. I
lit my cigar, but before / had gone fifty
steps, pschtt! q real Roman candle blaZed
out between my teeth, nearly binding
one of my customers who had come up to
speak to me. He went away furious, and
lost his trade, while, at the distance of
three steps, Bechard was clinging to a
lamp post, laughing to kill himself. At
the coffee house he caused me to stumble,
thereby making me tear the cloth of the
billiard table, which nishap cost me
twenty francs. Later on we returned to
the hotel
We stayed awhile, chatting with the
landlord. Bechard soon left US, Begging
to be excused, as he felt very sleepy.
did not go up stairs until fully quarter
of an hour after he did, and / am sure
that you viii not be astonished when I
tell you that he had made good use Of the
fifteen minutes. When put my key into
the lock I found that I could not open
the door; it was fastened on the inside
After eli, was it really my room? Evil
IDENTIFY not, as l heard, on the inside, the
grumEl;ng Of somebody whose slumbers
had been disturbed I returned down
stairs. No, there was no mistake. "Your
room is 70. 10, sirI'' / went up again,
and this time succeeded in opening the
door. lam in my room. No, by Joye! it be-
longs to somebody else, for there is per-
son in the bed. / beg his pardon, and am
on the point Of withdrawing when an idea
strikes me. Going to the bed, gently
tap the sleeper OH the shoulder and find
that l have been trying to arouse-my
bolster, to which l had been addressing
my apologies. / soon found the solution
of the mystery when discovered a panel
door in one of the corners Of the room.
1t was plain that Bechard had managed
to get the room next to mine. / tried the
knob. The rascal had barricaded the
door / raped. A loud snore was the
only answer | got The joke had been
carried out to the end-the end, no, not
yet, for as ] endeavored to slip in between
the sheets my progress was arrested by an
earthenwGre vessel art;stically covered up
Bechard was undoubtedly great man.
l got in bed at last and fell asleep while
revolving in my mind different plans by
means of which could obtain a striking
revenge But the question was, would /
have sufficient time? Suppose Bechard
were to escape the next dayl No danger,
we were both going tc Douarnenez We
would meet again.
We did meet again, the next morning,
just after rising
81 say, = said Beehard, coming up to
me, aare you going to Douarnenezs"
Eyes. y,
'In what carriage?''
'In my own"
Gould you manage to make room fos
meais
aWhy, certainly, with pleasure.
The incantious fellow was placing him.
self in my power. Ny eyes must have
flashed like those of IA cat finding again a
mouse that she had almost given up for
lost. Il H.
s'Wait for me % minute them" said
Bechard. .I.wantto change my breaches,
as it is quite chilly this morning, and
am shivering id, the ones have on.
It was then the month Of August. But
it was O'Clock In the morning and stiff
wind was blowing from the east. Bechard
had come down in a pair of linen panta-
looms.
He returned in a short while, his legs
incased in a pair of winter trousers, the
cloth of which Seemed to be nearly an.